Barcelona sporting director Deco has said that the club want to keep hold of both Robert Lewandowski and INIGO MARTINEZ for next season.
Lewandowski has been in outstanding form for the Catalan giants this season, scoring 31 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions, but there has been speculation surrounding his long-term future at the club.
The Poland international has a contract at Camp Nou until June 2026, but he will be 37 at the start of next season, and Barcelona are believed to be considering signing a big-money centre-forward this summer.
Newcastle United‘s Alexander Isaac and Sporting Lisbon‘s Viktor are both believed to be on their radarbut Deco has said that the Catalan giants are planning for at least one more campaign with Lewandowski.
“It’s a different case. They have different clauses. Robert has a contract but the club could cut it if he didn’t meet a series of conditions. We are clear that we want to keep him, but Robert is not just a Barca player, he is a world player, he is a figure, one of the best strikers in the history of football,” Deco told SPORT.
“I think he will want to stay because as well as having a contract, we are very happy with him, but if a player doesn’t want to stay it is always difficult to keep him. It will be a question for Robert at the time, but I think yes, he will stay.
“When you talk to him he always talks about the future, about next season. He is a very involved player and a great professional.”
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Deco: ‘Barcelona want to keep Lewandowski, Martinez’
Martinez’s future has also been the subject of speculation, as the centre-back’s contract is due to expire this summer.
Deco has revealed that there is a clause which can be activated to retain the experienced defender for another season, and Barcelona are determined to keep hold of the 33-year-old.
Martinez has made 29 appearances for Barcelona this season, and he played the full 90 minutes against Sevilla in La Liga last time out after recovering from a hamstring problem.
“Inigo has a clause in his contract that he could activate, but we have been clear about him for a few months now. He is a player who contributes a lot to the team and the dressing room. He is a leader and a player that we want for next season,” said Deco.
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Will De Jong sign a new deal at Barcelona?
There has also been a host of speculation surrounding De Jong’s future, as the 27-year-old has recently worked his way back into favour under head coach Hansi Flickfeaturing in the team’s last four league matches.
The Netherlands international only has a contract at Camp Nou until June 2026, but he could soon sign an extension.
“I don’t change my opinion about the players. For me, Frenkie is a great footballer. He himself has said that he feels frustrated for not having won as many titles at Barca as he thought he would when he arrived,” said Deco.
“That is what we want, for that frustration to continue with him because it means that he wants to continue winning things with Barca. He is a high-level player. Here we want players who want to win titles, not just players who want to be at Barca. From here, we are going to look for these profiles. Today, 100% of the players we have dream of this. We will talk about Frenkie in due time.”
Barcelona announced on Thursday that teenage star Pau Cubarsi had signed a new long-term deal at the club.
